I’m pretty inflexible in my pro-union stance. I believe all megacorporations and government bodies are inherently corrupt, and unions are self-defence against exploitation and ensure fair compensation for the working class.
I’ve heard the critique that unions destroy the opportunity to “reward” workers with pay raises, and strip competitive people of their competition. Honestly, that seems like an easy price to pay. Find other ways to be competitive that don’t involve fighting your peers for fair payment.
I’d be more concerned about not being able to advance up the corporate ladder if our current job and housing market wasn’t already an issue. People I know who are experts in their fields can’t find work anywhere — some have resorted to jobs below their skill-set that barely cover their living expenses.
Even the idea of “living wages” irritates me. A just society should not demand that its people beg for survival. It’s harder to be upset about not being “rewarded” with pay raises if you are already being paid fairly in the first place. Perhaps instead of judging one of the few things that protect workers, I think people should ask why they have to demand equal treatment in the first place.
